Weed, Pot, Tree, Skunk, and many other names are home to a drug that we all know of as marijuana. According to a source, 44% of Americans have smoked pot but it is still illegal. In fact in states that have not legalized marijuana, you could be charged the same way for having this common substance, as you would be if you had heroin. The Federal Government of the United States recognizes marijuana as a Narcotic. Yet the leader of our free world has admitted to using this drug so clearly using marijuana is not going to stop people from being successful.
On a daily basis people drink the legal substance of alcohol and that causes a lot more issues then marijuana ever will. Every 51 minutes someone dies from an alcohol related accident in the United States, and very few accidents have been reported to be caused by weed-impaired drivers. Along with motor vehicle accidents, everyday people die from over-dosing on alcohol and it is nearly impossible to overdose on marijuana. It is still confusing as to why this substance is illegal in most places in the United States.
Other then deaths and injuries alcohol has a very negative effect on the body and brain. When you drink even if it is a small amount it majorly affects many parts of your body one being the immune system. The immune system is weakened drastically by alcohol; it makes it hard for the body to fight off germs and bacteria. Some heaver drinkers have increased risks of getting pneumonia or tuberculosis and even some forms of cancer. Other then getting sick more often alcohol has a really harsh effect on the brain. The alcohol that is not broken down by the liver is then disturbed to all parts of the body including the brain. By alcohol reaching the brain it can decrease memory, speech, decision-making and even movement.
However marijuana has fewer effects on the body and brain. For starters there is no evidence that marijuana negatively affects the immune system. Marijuana is even used to help AIDS patients with hunger issues and allows them to be less nauseous. Marijuana does indeed have an effect on the brain, this causes you to have a drug induced euphoria which most people call being “high”. The effects that marijuana has on your brain are far from negative and harmful. Marijuana lessens eye pressure for patients with glaucoma; it also helps patients have less spasms and seizures. The medical benefits are only plus side to legalizing marijuana.
I enjoyed reading this article because I really can see both sides of the marijuana debate. Do I think marijuana should be illegal? No, not really. But I will say that although the dangers of alcohol are very evident, there are still dangers associated with smoking marijuana. In fact, the likelihood of suffering from lung cancer is actually higher than tobacco smokers. And just like alcohol, marijuana has its own social problems associated with it that often times lead to family issues and issues for the user in the future, especially considering it is still illegal in most states. I appreciate and understand both view points, but I still believe that both alcohol and marijuana have negative effects, and that neither is better or worse than the other. Any sort of substance that impairs you is bad, and I think that is the most simple way to put it. Here is a link you can check out if you want to read more about the negative impact marijuana has on the body, mind, and relationships. Check it out!